Government of Wales Bill

I hope that in the course of our consideration of this group of amendments we will not hear about Ministers or Government Members engaging in debate by press release. You might not know, Sir Nicholas, that the Government issued a press release and the article that resulted from it was headed, ““Hain accuses Tories of a bid to ‘castrate’ Assembly””. I have never been accused of trying to castrate anything, let alone an Assembly. I know that the Government are hidebound—they have got themselves into a Procrustean bed that they cannot get out of—but they will have to get used to the idea that the Opposition are trying hard to improve the position of the people of Wales. Through this group of amendments, we are trying to ensure that the people of Wales have a vote and a say in the matters that are before the Committee. Clause 92 is the foundation stone of the new legislative architecture being constructed by the Government and it was debated in some detail in relation to the last group of amendments. It is the clause that confers on the Assembly the power to make a type of legislation in relation to Wales known as an Assembly Measure. In the previous debate, the Minister said that the clause provided ““enhanced legislative powers””. That means that the status quo will not remain and that the Assembly will have enhanced capabilities, over and above those that were originally envisaged. According to the explanatory notes,"““Measures will . . . have the same effect as an Act of Parliament.””" The notes continue:"““they may modify the effect of legislation made or enacted before or after this Bill is enacted, or make entirely new provision.””" Under the clause, even if the process of enacting an Assembly Measure is invalid or irregular, that will not stop the Measure becoming law. That is set out in subsection (3). Our amendments are designed to give the people of Wales a voice before that new, complex and—dare I suggest—cunning legislative device comes into force. Let me make it clear that we are not seeking a referendum because we believe that it would fail, or that it would succeed. We are keen to ensure that the Assembly develops in the way that the people of Wales want it to develop. Their wants and needs should be paramount.